Kentucky
Japanese e-vehicle battery company to build Kentucky plant | The Journal Record
FRANKFORT, Ky. – A Japanese electrical car battery expertise firm will construct a manufacturing unit in Kentucky, creating 2,000 jobs in a $2 billion funding that reinforces the state’s management in battery manufacturing, Gov. Andy Beshear stated.
The Envision AESC plant at Bowling Inexperienced in south-central Kentucky will produce battery cells and modules to energy the subsequent era of electrical autos, the Democratic governor stated.
The gigafactory’s merchandise might be made for a number of auto producers globally.
The announcement represents Kentucky’s second-largest financial growth funding, the governor stated, following an excellent bigger battery manufacturing plant announcement final yr.
“With at this time’s announcement, we solidify that the commonwealth of Kentucky is the undisputed electrical battery manufacturing capital of the US of America,” Beshear stated as he gathered with different state leaders to have a good time the brand new mission.
The Envision AESC announcement comes months after Bowling Inexperienced was amongst a number of Kentucky cities arduous hit by tornadoes final December. Elements of Bowling Inexperienced have been devastated by the storm.
Envision AESC Group CEO Shoichi Matsumoto stated the Kentucky funding is a part of the corporate’s subsequent part of battery technique to energy electrical autos within the U.S.
“This main funding builds on our dedication to the U.S. market, helps development of the electrification provide chain and secures excessive worth jobs for future generations within the area,” he stated.
“This dedication takes us one step additional towards our ambition to make high-performance, longer-range batteries for a various vary of automotive producers worldwide to assist the EV transition,” he added.
Plans for the Kentucky plant observe the corporate’s bulletins final yr to construct gigafactories in France and the UK. Envision AESC has 4,000 staff and 10 manufacturing crops in Japan, the U.S., the UK, China and France.
Automakers try to outdo one another with electrical car bulletins and proclamations that they plan to promote nothing however zero-emission autos within the subsequent decade or so. At current, there are 38 totally electrical fashions now on sale within the U.S., with greater than 120 anticipated by 2025.
Automakers offered practically 4.6 million electrical autos worldwide final yr. LMC Automotive, an trade consulting agency, expects that to rise to almost 7 million this yr and to greater than 15 million by 2025. Nonetheless, that might be solely about 15% of world car gross sales.
Within the U.S., LMC says simply over 400,000 EVs have been offered final yr. The corporate expects that to rise to greater than 2.2 million by 2025. Nonetheless, that’s solely about 13% of recent car gross sales.
In Kentucky, the Envision AESC mission follows final yr’s announcement that Ford and its battery associate will construct twin battery crops exterior Glendale in central Kentucky. That mega-project will create 5,000 jobs to supply batteries for the automaker’s subsequent era of electrical autos.
“So as soon as once more an organization that’s redefining the auto trade is betting their future on Kentucky and our workforce,” Beshear stated Wednesday of the Envision AESC mission.
The Democratic governor thanked the state’s Republican-dominated legislature for its position in luring the brand new firm. Republican Kentucky Home Speaker David Osborne stated the brand new plant announcement exhibits “nice issues can occur once we all pull in the identical path.” Quickly after the plant celebration, Republican lawmakers began overriding the governor’s many vetoes.
The state’s new partnership supplies the corporate as much as $116.8 million from state incentive packages and as much as $5 million in grant-in-aid for abilities coaching, the governor’s workplace stated.
Envision AESC picked a fast-growing school city with its plans to construct the roughly 3 million-square-foot manufacturing unit on the Kentucky Transpark in Bowling Inexperienced.
“The size of this mission is like nothing our neighborhood has ever seen earlier than,” Bowling Inexperienced Mayor Todd Alcott stated.
Bowling Inexperienced can be residence to Normal Motors’ Corvette meeting plant.
Related Press auto author Tom Krisher in Detroit and Related Press author Piper Hudspeth Blackburn in Louisville, Kentucky, contributed to this report.
Kentucky
Florida school employee arrested after he allegedly opened fire at Kentucky police officers
A Florida man was arrested after police say he fired a shot at a pair of officers in Kentucky.
Tombe Juma-Kose Thomas, 35, was arrested on Dec. 28, according to Louisville Police, Fox 35 reported. He is facing two counts of attempted murder and is being held in the Louisville Metro Department of Corrections on a $250,000 bond with a preliminary court hearing in Kentucky set for Tuesday.
Louisville Police responded to 1117 Reutinlinger Avenue, where Thomas was staying at an Airbnb with his girlfriend while visiting family.
ILLEGAL MIGRANT CHARGED WITH MOLESTING FLORIDA GIRL, 5, SAYS FAMILY ACCUSED HIM OVER IMMIGRATION STATUS
Thomas had barricaded himself inside a bathroom on the suspicion that there was an intruder in the house, and he accused his girlfriend of setting him up.
When officers arrived, police said they knocked on the window of the bathroom and announced their presence.
Then, Thomas fired a single shot toward the window where the two officers were. The bullet passed just over the officers’ heads and nobody was hurt.
Thomas eventually exited the house and was placed under arrest.
He later said he had “fired a warning shot” through the window.
Volusia County Schools in Florida confirmed Thomas is employed by the district as an instructor for the Positive Alternative to School Suspension program at Atlantic High School, according to Fox 35. He previously worked as an Exceptional Student Education instructor at Deltona High School. He had also been a football coach at both schools.
FLORIDA MAN ATTACKED BY BEAR CUB AND BITTEN ON STOMACH WHILE DEFENDING DOG SAYS HE COULDN’T ‘WATCH HER DIE’
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
“Additional details will need to be provided by law enforcement since it’s an active investigation,” the district said in a statement. “VCS has opened an internal professional standards investigation on the individual as well. Any further action will be determined by the findings of those investigations.”
Thomas is also a former fullback for Syracuse University.
Kentucky
3 Transfer Portal Moves: Former Kentucky QB Gavin Wimsatt Finds New Home
The snow has slowed the Commonwealth to a crawl, but the transfer portal is still moving and grooving. The dead period ended, allowing players to hit the road for another round of visits. Kentucky got a big recruiting win over the weekend when Washington State DL David Gusta signed with the Wildcats. Now a few other chips are falling in different places.
Gavin Wimsatt started his career at Rutgers. After three seasons in Piscataway, the Owensboro native moved back to his Old Kentucky Home. Now he’ll finish his college career in Conference-USA.
Wimsatt revealed on Instagram that he will spend his final year in college at Jacksonville State. He’ll be suiting up for Charles Kelly, the former Auburn defensive coordinator who was hired this offseason to replace Rich Rodriguez. I must say, the quarterback can pull off the cowboy hat.
Join KSR Plus! With a KSR Plus membership, you get access to bonus content and KSBoard, KSR’s message board, to chat with fellow Cats fans and get exclusive scoop.
EDGE Target Commits to Auburn
Kentucky lost its top three EDGE players to the transfer portal this offseason. They’ve added a pair of players, Kameron Olds and Sam Greene, but they could use one more who could provide some pass-rush pop. Chris Murray was the first big fish on the list. He visited Kentucky and three other schools prior to the dead period. After the break, he made a few more visits before the All-C-USA performer from Sam Houston State selected Auburn.
The Cats missed on Murray, but it won’t be considered a miss if they can reel in Mi’Quise Humphrey-Grace. The FCS All-American was the Missouri Valley Defensive Player of the Year after tallying 17.0 TFLs and 9.5 sacks. He visited Kentucky on Friday. USC, Mississippi State, and Wisconsin are also in the hunt for the immediate impact EDGE. If Kentucky can seal the deal, this might be their biggest win of the entire transfer portal cycle.
Former Kentucky WR to the Big Ten
Chauncey Magwood flashed during his brief stint at Kentucky. The class of 2021 signee appeared in all but one game over his two seasons in Lexington. The mid-three-star prospect from Georgia was a physical wide receiver who could play inside or outside, catching 8 passes for 121 yards, and a touchdown.
Without much playing time on the horizon, Magwood hit the transfer portal and landed at UCF. The Gus Malzahn era was regrettable for all parties involved, including Magwood. He caught just 9 passes for 142 yards in two seasons.
Rather than lingering in Orlando limbo, Magoowd hit the transfer portal again. West Lafayette is going to look a lot different than Central Florida. He’s transferring to Purdue to help Barry Odom rebuild the dilapidated Boilermakers program.
Kentucky
Kentucky State Police trooper injured in crash during winter storm
HART COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – Kentucky State Police say one of their troopers was injured Sunday morning in a crash during the ongoing winter storm.
Police say the crash happened along Interstate 65 in Hart County, north of Bowling Green. Snow was falling at the time of the crash.
State Police say the trooper is receiving treatment for non-life-threatening injuries. No other details about the crash have been released.
Law enforcement agencies across Kentucky have been asking people to stay home Sunday, as snow and ice have made many roads around the state dangerous for travel.
Copyright 2025 WKYT. All rights reserved.
-
Health1 week ago
New Year life lessons from country star: 'Never forget where you came from'
-
Technology1 week ago
Meta’s ‘software update issue’ has been breaking Quest headsets for weeks
-
Business5 days ago
These are the top 7 issues facing the struggling restaurant industry in 2025
-
Culture5 days ago
The 25 worst losses in college football history, including Baylor’s 2024 entry at Colorado
-
Sports5 days ago
The top out-of-contract players available as free transfers: Kimmich, De Bruyne, Van Dijk…
-
Politics4 days ago
New Orleans attacker had 'remote detonator' for explosives in French Quarter, Biden says
-
Politics3 days ago
Carter's judicial picks reshaped the federal bench across the country
-
Politics2 days ago
Who Are the Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom?